F Is for Friendship: Missing Bags and Stronger Friendship

Ruchama Schnaidman

We all have strengths, and we pretty much know what we are good at. Same here, which brings me to my story…

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

W e’re all good at different things, but you didn’t need me to tell you that. I mean, if you’re an awesome hairstylist, you know you’re good at that. And if your sister knows how to sing like a dream, trust me, she doesn’t need people to marvel over her good voice the whole day. Sure, she’d like to hear compliments the same way you don’t exactly mind when people rave over your magical hands for the thousandth time.

But you don’t need it. I mean need it to know it. We all have strengths, and we pretty much know what we are good at. Same here, which brings me to my story.

Hands down, my friend Penina is an amazing organizer. If you need something to get done, get it to Penina and it will happen.

As the possessor of this most important piece of knowledge, my brain spun a brilliant plan. It started on a Wednesday morning about a week after Pesach when our math teacher glanced at the clock five minutes before recess. Then something amazing happened. Miss Winter actually put her dry-erase marker down on the desk and closed her math book. “Girls,” she said. She tucked a sheitel strand behind her ear and cleared her throat. “Girls,” she said again and I can almost guarantee a flash of pain crossed her face.

Miss Winter’s official subject is math. This year we’re learning geometry and from the minute Miss Winter walks into our classroom until the second after the recess bell rings, we learn math. I don’t believe there was ever a moment that passed throughout her 45-minute period in which math was not discussed in some form.

But now Miss Winter was clearing her throat again. “Girls, I have an announcement to make,” she said. The silence in my classroom was so thick I thought I felt it wrap itself around my neck. Barely moving my head, I glanced around the classroom. Every single girl had her eyes on Miss Winter. Something was happening here. Something big. “As you know,” Miss Winter continued, “next Wednesday is… Lag B’omer!”